


Lost

by Mommydux



Category: Christian Kane - Fandom
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Gambling, Romance, Runaway, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-08-30 01:32:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8513599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mommydux/pseuds/Mommydux
Summary: Kerstain Thankson is tired of living the life she currently lives. She's ready to make her escape. However, once she takes that leap she finds herself in a similar situation that seems to have no escape route. Can she break through the harsh exterior or her new companions or is she destined to repeat the same fate she once ran from?





	1. The Escape Route

**Author's Note:**

> This is completely OOC and I apologize, this is my first attempt at writing online. It wasn't actually written with Mr. Kane in mind, well definitely his physique but not necessarily his personality, which is why I consider it completely out of character. But I'm using him so you have a strong idea of what this character looks like.

A most annoying sound rang throughout the bedroom. It took a few moments for reality to catch up and for Kerstain to realize that was her alarm. Within seconds of shutting off the alarm, her bedroom door flew open.  
"Turn that God-damned piece of shit off and get the fuck up! Some of us are trying to get some fucking sleep around here! I don't want to hear that shit again! Damn it!"  
With that, the door slammed shut. Well, yet another fabulous start to another wonderful day. Thank God this would be the last time she had to hear that God awful slew of curses and all-mighty attitude from that drunk bastard. Today was going to be a good day, she swore to it, she wasn't going to let him bring her mood dowon. In fact, just the thought made her jump out of bed, excited to start the day. Today was certainly going to be a good day. Chocked full of anxiety but still better than the days she's been struggling through.

Kerstain often compared her life to that of Cinderella. Her mother had passed away only two years ago and she was left with her drunk, excuse of a man, step-father who never had a kind word to say. Unless he was trying to get into her pants, of ccourse. He was quite the crude and perverted old man that he was rumored to be. He tried with all his might to get a reaction from her with his colorful commentary and his quick little taps to her bottom as she stormed past him. She nearly broke his arm one night when he tried to grope her outside the kitchen door. He wasn't so bad when her mother first passed away but over the course of a few months the man had become a complete monster. He had a gambling addiction that apparently went into overdrive once his wife was deceased. He drank nearly every hour of the day, when he was passed out was probably the only time he didn't have a beer in hand. She wasn't quite sure how he managed to maintain his job, constantly blitzed, slurring his words and walking as if gravity was his greatest enemy. Not to mention the fact that there were head hunters after him constantly to pay up on his debts. Every week he tried to pay it all off on the big bet and every week he failed miserably and landed himself in more hot water. These guys meant business and he never seemed to get it, they came to collect regularly and he managed to stave most off with whatever small amounts he had and more promissory notes. They even showed Kerstain a few visits here and there. Not very pleasant men at all, a few roughed her up from time to time before realizing they weren't getting anywhere with threatening her, she was as broke as the old man and they were his debts after all. It still caused her to fear for her life however, she never knew when one of them would just snap and cause her some serious harm. Bruises she could handle, the thought of broken bones or stiches terrified her, but death, that she couldn't bare to think about. It didn't make a difference to the old man though, he was just grateful they had left him alone for a few moments. Protecting her had never crossed his feeble little mind. He certainly didn't see her as his daughter, just an extra source of income really. Most bills she paid on her own, knowing if she handed the money over to him, it would never make it to its proper destination. That, of course, never stopped him from trying to get more money out of her. She was strong willed enough to turn him down every time, claiming she had nothing to give after the bills were paid. She had to be tricky with where she stashed her savings because he was known to tear up her room from time to time looking for more money. When she was finally out of this hell-hole he would certainly miss her, well her wallet really, not her.

She started saving a little over a year ago. Though she couldn't save much due to her paying most of the bills, they'd be homeless if it were left to him. They had already had the cable shut off long ago and the electric was shut off at least once every other month along with the gas and water. She needed to get out of there as soon as she could, it was detrimental to her health. She was going bonkers living this life. She didn't belong here. She didn't have any friends, thanks to her step-father and his pleasant personality. Most people would rather speak about her than to her. No one took the time to know her, not if it meant any kind of involvement with the biggest bum in town. People always kept their distance, but she understood, people judge what they don't know. There was nothing keeping her here anymore, now that her mother was gone. She put up with what she could but she had reached her breaking point. Everything was coming to a head and rather her completely snap and end up in jail or a phsych ward, she devised a plan to get herself the hell out of this town, far, far away and she never wanted to look back. 

With enough money saved to get her to her destination, buy groceries and enough to find a place to stay for at least a few weeks before she had to find work, she decided she was ready. She packed up the necessities she would need, a few mementos, photos, etc. She needed to travel fairly light and tried to leave most of the items she owned behind, never to be seen again. Not they were worth anything anyway. She would wait until he had left for work. He worked the night shift at the local refinery and she figured she would be long gone by the time anyone had found out she even left, hopefully to her new destination once the sun was up. She didn't tell a soul she was leaving. She couldn't. If anyone had known when or where she was going then that meant there was a chance someone could track her down. She wasn't taking that chance, not with his bookies after her and not with a chance of him trying to get her to return so she could pick up all his pieces, as usual. She was going to miss her coworkers, that was about it. She had worked at a small bakery in town since she was sixteen. She had explained the situation to her boss, shortly after her mother passed away, who had immediately given her a raise to help her save up. She knew of her situation, half the damn town did, and knew she had to help the girl any way she could. But she also knew this was something Kerstaim wanted to do on her own, she was a head strong girl and she wouldn't take hand outs. Most people in town knew of her situation as well but everyone just seem to turn their heads. No one dared to help her and most just made up their own little stories about her life, not a one painting her in a good light. She certainly didn't need these poisonous people in her life and she didn't need this dreaded little town. 

So now she was ready. Ready to take the leap. She quickly threw the last of her stuff in the truck and on the road she went. Not looking back once, she smiled to herself, proud she was finally doing it. Essentially saving herself and starting a new life, hopefully one with a happy ending this time. Lord knew she certainly couldn't deal with anymore heartbreak.


	2. On and Off The Road

It was about 200 miles into her little journey that things began to go awry. It started out with a slight squeaky noise coming from her truck every so often. It seemed to be okay though and she hoped to come upon the next city soon enough. Once there she'd find a local mechanic and have them take a look. It felt as though she had been on this road forever and it seemed the next city was nowhere close. All she could see was highway. The highway wasn't very pleasant either, it looked like it had not been maintained in decades. The blacktop had faded to a very dull gray, the road was littered with little cracks. As if the highway had wrinkles, telling of its old age. The paint had worn so much that half the highway had no lanes anymore, the sides of the highway were crumbled into dust and there wasn't a single sign of life. Soon enough the slight squeaking had turned into a slight rattling. Shaking a bit but nothing too dramatic. Still cause for alarm considering if it got any worse then she'd definitely be stuck out here. She had fueled up before getting onto the highway but she was already down to just over a quarter of a tank and prayed she'd come upon the town soon. The rattling started to become a little more intense. She slowed down hoping to ease some on the pressure on whatever was happening. She knew troubled loomed ahead because either the truck was breaking down or she'd be running out of gas, either way she was screwed. The shaking started becoming more intense. She gripped the steering wheel tighter.  
"Come on Franky, you can do this. We can make it to the next town, I know you can."  
She tried to give a little pep talk to her trusty steed but it didn't seem to be doing much good. The truck was rocking and she knew she was completely screwed. Just at that moment she hit a rather gruesome pothole and the truck jerked to the right. She was only doing about 50mph but it was just still too fast. She was being jostled about as she tried righting the wheel. There was a terrible screeching noise as she bounced about in the cab. Finally after what seemed like several minutes of hell, the truck came to a screeching halt, leaning a little too far to the side for her liking. She reached forward and cut the engine. After several moments of deep calming breaths, she unbuckled her seat belt and decided to access the damage. As she opened the door she realized she was halfway in a ditch. As she neared the front of the truck her heart sank. The passenger side front tire was practically on its side, underneath the truck itself. FUCK. She was completely, totally, 100% fucked.  
She dropped to her knees and let the tears flow. She was alone, no one could see her and with her emotions running so high in the last 24 hours, she just needed a good cry. She knew there was no way she was going to be able to fix this. She would have to have the truck towed to town and have a real mechanic work some miracle. Two problems with that though. First, there was no way she could afford to have this fixed. She had saved up enough to get her to her destination and enough for a place to lay her head for a few weeks. Sure she had put a bit away for emergencies but those emergencies consisted of flat tires or minor repairs. This was definitely not minor. Secondly, she would have to pay to have the vehicle towed to the next town. God only knew where the next town was. She could imagine the towing cost would be astronomical and that was enough to blow her entire budget. There was no way she could pay for any of this, there was no way she could walk to the next town. It could be 100 miles down the highway for all she knew. It was now that she could kick herself for not investing in a cell phone. But really she had never needed one. She had no friends and she truly didn't want any way for that bastard to get a hold of her ever. So here she was, stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no way to get help. The sun had yet to rise, she probably had several more hours before it sprang up. So with no other option, she climbed back into the truck and made herself comfortable. Who knew how long she'd have to wait for someone to find her, it could be hours or even days by the looks of the abandoned highway. It was a nice summer night to her luck so waiting it out wouldn't be so bad. As long as she wouldn't have to sit in the blistering sun all day long come sun rise. That was about the only positive thing happening at this point, everything else had gone to shit rather quickly. Once she found herself a semi comfortable position, she continued to let her tears flow, slowing crying herself to sleep until help would hopefully arrive. Please Lord, let somebody find her. 


	3. To The Rescue?

She awoke with a jolt to the sound of someone tapping on her window. She looked around for a couple seconds in a bit of a haze before realizing someone was outside her window. She slowly rolled down the window, the old crank handle sticking a bit as it was known to do.  
"Sorry Ma'am, didn't mean to startle you there. Seems ya got yerself a bit a trouble here."  
A deep voice flooded her ears. She was still trying to clear her head of sleep. She must of taken a little too long to respond.  
"Ma'am? You okay?"  
"Uh, yeah...Um...sorry. I, uh, yeah, my truck..."  
The man let out a little chuckle.  
"So I can see. Ya want I should call a tow truck for ya?"  
Kerstain looked over the man, he seemed harmless enough. He seemed a bit taller than herself, medium build with a clean set of overalls and wearing a friendly smile. She decided he was okay. She climbed out of her truck. The man stuck out a hand.  
"The name's Jake."  
"Oh uh, Kerstain." She stated, shaking his hand.  
"Where were ya headed to? Ain't seen nobody round these parts in a long time now. We was a bit surprised to see yer truck on the side of the road there."   
As soon as Kerstain had registered he has said 'we' she heard another voice pipe up from behind her.  
"Let's get moving along here Jake, the sun's coming up and we got too much shit to do today." Kerstain and Jake spun around to face the new voice.  
"Oh, this here is Timothy. Don't mind him, ain't got no patience, this one."  
Timothy let out a huff and rolled his eyes. Kerstain gave him a small wave which he returned.  
"So where ya headed?"  
Kerstain returned her gaze to Jake.  
"Uh, I was headed to Edgewater but I think I may have missed a turn somewhere."  
Jake's eyes widened slightly and she heard Timothy let out a whistle.  
"Edgewater is about 200 miles back that away."   
Jakes said, pointing his thumb in the opposite direction.  
"Ugh, you have got to be kidding me! I have been on this road forever and there doesn't seem to be and end in sight and now you're telling me I'm not even headed in the right direction?"  
Kerstain couldn't hold back her frustration. No wonder she wasn't coming up on another city, it was in the opposite direction! Her tears threatened to spill again.  
"Fraid so. Ya got yerself in quite the pickle. I guess ye be wanting us to call that tow truck, huh?"  
Of course that's when she lost it again. The tears starting flowing as she explained her situation. It was obvious that Timothy was uncomfortable and poor Jake wasn't sure how to react. After a few moments Jake spoke up.  
"Listen Miss Kerstain. We can take ya back to our town. It ain't too far from here. Christian can get ya all fixed up and find ya a way to pay him back for the repairs. He's good like that, good man."  
Kerstain was a bit taken back by this. Was she willing to get into a truck with these guys and be taken to God knows where or would she rather sit out in the blistering sun until she starved to death. Guess she really had no choice. They seemed like decent people and she figured worse case scenario is she could at least try to run if these guys were indeed crazy. Fuck it, she decided.  
"Um, yes, thank you. I don't have much other choice, do I?"  
"Suppose not." Jake said.   
"Let's get going already."  
Timothy said rather impatiently. With that, Kerstain gathered a couple of her bags and headed to the truck with Jake. During the ride into town, which turns out is about 30 minutes through a bunch of back roads, Jake and Kerstain kept up some small talk. Meanwhile Timothy kept his eyes focused on the road and his mouth shut. She wasn't so much frightened of the man, she thought he was rather impatient and had no problem voicing his opinion, is all. She probably wouldn't be making friends with him anytime soon. Jake however, was rather sociable and they chatted through out the entire ride. Mostly telling Kerstain all about their small town and how this Christian had basically built it from the ground up. The way he went on about the man, she could tell people looked up to this Christian guy. Jake had nothing but good things to say about him, though Timothy had huffed a couple times, obviously not agreeing with Jake. She wondered who was right about him, Jake or Timothy. Maybe this Christian had pissed Timothy off somehow and he held some sort of grudge, or maybe Jake was just one of those guy to see the world through rose colored glasses. Either way she was about to find out for herself as they pulled into the little town. There were several small huts that dotted the town, some larger buildings which seemed to be business and then right smack in the middle was a rather large and a bit extravagant cabin to which they pulled in front of.   
Jake jumped out of the truck, helping Kerstain down.   
"This here is Christian's place. We'll get ya introduced and he'll set ya up with some work round here. We've had many stragglers in and out of town, he ain't one to blow anyone off, no, he helps with everything and anything." Jake rambled on. Once he finished he placed a light hand on Kerstain's back and began to lead her up the stairs. Once they reached the porch, the door flew open and the biggest, meanest looking man she ever laid eyes on stared right through her.  
"What have we got here then?" Came the rough, deep voice of the large man. He looked as if he could take someone down with just his stare alone. He was terrifying!


	4. A New Home

Kerstain stood there frozen looking up at one incredibly handsome yet oh so terrifying man. He was quite muscular with a fairly tight t-shirt flaunting said muscles, ripped, worn jeans and a pair of dirty old work boots. His shirt looked as if it would be ripped to shreds if he even dared to flex those muscles and his hair, oh my God his hair. It had a slightly waviness to it and flowed down to his shoulders, light brown with some sun kissed highlights and just all around perfect. He sported a bit of facial hair, a bit rough looking but it was his eyes that nearly killed her. They were crystal blue and just pierced right through you. To say he was intimidating was an understatement.  
His facial expression showed he was clearly not happy about a new comer but he was definitely smirking as he looked her over from head to toe.  
"This here is Miss Kerstain. Found her out on Route 7. She broke down about 30 minutes out. She ain't got no money to pay for repairs so i was figuring you can set her up with some work and a place to lay her head until we get it all squared away." Jake told Christian. He turned to Kerstain.  
"Miss Kerstain, this here is Christian, he'll take good care of ya."  
"Um, hello." She said, reaching out to shake his hand but he pulled it to his lips and left a kiss on the top of her hand. While peering at her with a devilish smirk he said  
"Oh I can definitely take care of you sweetheart." Kerstain pulled her hand back immediately. This creep sounds like the very man she was trying to get away from. She knew right then and there that her life was not about to change any time soon. She was now indebted to this man and escaping was not exactly an option considering they were in the middle of nowhere. Jake cleared his throat.  
"She was headed to Edgewater when we found her."  
"Pretty far from home aren't you? I think we can put that pretty face of yours to work." He turned and leaned into the door way "Evelynn!" he shouted then turned back to Kerstain.  
"Evelynn is my house keeper. She'll get you set up. I want to keep this one close, not that you can run off anywhere. The next town is about a 4 hour drive from here so don't get any thoughts of taking off into that pretty little head of yours. You're mine until your debt is paid."  
Kerstain wasn't sure what to make of all this. Was she a prisoner now? Everyone seemed like nice people except for this man and he was the one Jake raved about. Maybe they were all twisted.  
"Once my debt is paid I will quickly be on my way." she said. Trying to sound as confident as possible. Christian's eyes widened just slightly but he said nothing just hummed in response. Just then a slender, elderly woman walked up behind him.  
"Yes Mr Christian? " she asked. He turned and smiled at her.  
"Evelynn, this is Kerstain, she'll be staying with us for a while. Get her set up in a room. Once she's settled in she will assist you with your daily activities. She is currently in my debt and will assist you until further notice." He said to Evelynn, though not taking his eyes off Kerstain.  
"Yes Mr Christian. Come with me dear." Evelynn said pulling Kerstain into the house.  
Kerstain was in awe of the house. It was absolutely gorgeous. Even though it was huge, it was very cozy, very welcoming. The walls, the floor, even the furniture were all in a beautiful oak wood. Aside from one of the biggest, fluffiest couches she's ever seen right smack in the middle of the room. She was led upstairs and down a long hall into one of what looked like many rooms. The room itself was gorgeous as well. He must have had a professional decorator because this place was totally something out of a magazine. Obviously this man had plenty money, he did own a whole darn town after all.  
Once she was settled in her room she took the time to ask Evelynn a bit about everything.  
"Is he always so... Intimidating?" Evelynn chuckled.  
"He's a good man but very cautious and a bit shrewed at times. But once you get to know him better you'll realize how kind and sweet he can really be. It will just take some time honey. He built this place from the ground up and he's very proud of that fact. He's very protective of his people and his land and we all look up to him... just don't cross him. He has quite a temper when he's angry and can be a bit scary. But, as long as you do what is asked of you then things will run quite smoothly." she said smiling.  
"Um, okay." Kerstain responded wearily.  
"So how did you end up here my dear?" Evelynn asked sweetly.  
"Well I was on my way to Edgewater and somehow got lost. My truck broke down and Jake and Timothy found me."  
"Oh Jake, he's such a nice man. Always going out of his way to help someone. Timothy is a good man too he just has no patience, that one." she laughed.  
"So I've gathered."  
Evelynn sat down on the bed next to Kerstain, reaching out to place a hand on hers.  
"You seem like a very sweet girl, just... be careful with Mr. Christian. He's a good man, good heart. Don't cross him, it ain't pretty."  
Kerstain was a bit confused.  
"What do you mean? Like violent?" she asked.  
"Well yes, he can throw quite a tantrum." but as she sensed Kerstain tense up she continued "Oh no honey, he'd never raise his hand to a woman. No, don't you worry about that. But he can definitely cause some property damage." she finished with a fond look in her eyes and a chuckle. Kerstain let out a sigh.  
"Great. Another moody, selfish prick." Evelynn's eyebrows rose at that.  
"Another? " she asked.  
"Yeah, my uh, step father, he has some issues." Evelynn squeezed her hand.  
"Oh honey, I'm sorry. But if you keep in line your stay here will be nice and pleasant. Mr. Christian is just set in his ways and likes things to be very particular, thats all. I didn't mean to scare you any, he really is a good man. You'll see."  
"Yeah, okay." Kerstain said with a shrug.  
"Well I'll give you some time and when you're ready just meet me down in the kitchen and we'll get breakfast all done." she said patting Kerstain's hand.  
"Okay. Sounds good." she said with a weak smile.  
Once Evelynn left Kerstain sat back on the bed and contemplated her situation. Obviously she was stuck here with no vehicle and no idea where she really was. She couldn't help but to feel a bit hopeless. All that gusto she had yesterday was now long gone and she had to resign herself to this fate. But the thought of working for and living with this Christian guy made her uneasy. She wondered if he was really such a good person as everyone let on. He certainly gives off the alpha dog vibe. She could possibly deal with his tantrums, she was used to that with her step father. But maybe he's not all that bad if he's giving her a place to stay and allowing her to work for the truck repairs. Its kind of funny how she suddenly went from Cinderella to Beauty and the Beast in under 24 hours. She was about to find out very shortly just how well, or how horrible, this little bump in the road was going to pan out. All she had to do was some housework, she was good at that, she could handle that. What could possibly go wrong?


	5. The Beast

After she had helped Evelynn make breakfast she was a bit shocked to learn that she and Evelynn were expected to dine with Christian as well. Things were a bit awkward at first with nothing but the clanking of silverware filling the air. Finally, Christian spoke up.  
"Are you all settled in then Kerstain?"  
"Oh, um, yes. Thank you... thank you for helping me out and allowing me to stay." Christian smiled at her. He actually smiled.  
"You're quite welcome... just remember you are in my debt and you will stay here until I feel as if your debt is paid in full." and the stoned face was right back in place.  
"Yes. Of course." Kerstain agreed.  
What was with this guy constantly throwing that in her face at every turn?! But she had to be agreeable as possible to make her stay here pleasant, hopefully she would survive long enough to pay her debt and be on her way. Evelynn, bless her heart, tried to change the subject as quickly as possible.  
"So Miss Kerstain, why were you traveling to Edgewater? Do you have family there?"  
"Uh, no. I was.... uh..."  
"Spit it out already woman!" Christian barked. Kerstain jumped a bit at his remark. She couldn't even make eye contact as she began to tell her story.  
"I, I was looking to start over in Edgewater. Well, south of Edgewater actually. "  
Christian's eyebrows rose at that.  
"Running away from your problems then?" he asked in that cocky tone she was learning to hate. He was a smug son of a bitch and she didn't like him. But she was used to an attitude like that, she lived with that same kind of attitude for so long, well up to last night anyway. God, that seemed like so long ago already.  
"No." she stated firmly. She left that life behind and she wasn't about to fall right back into it again.  
"I was running from someone else's problems." She could actually see the anger in his eyes. He had the nerve to be pissed at her for dishing out the same arrogance he served her. What a hypocritical bastard.  
"Maybe you could explain what you mean Miss Kerstain. " Evelynn spoke a bit nervously. Kerstain braced herself to tell her tale. She didn't want to break down in front of this asshole and show her weakness. She prayed she wouldn't turn into a blabbering mess. She has to prove to him she was strong so he didn't get any ideas that he could dominate her in any way. She took a breath and began.  
"My mother passed away two years ago. I was left to take care of my stepfather. He is an habitual drunk and gambler. His bookies would come looking for him and when they couldn't find him, they would rough me up, trying to get payment out of me. People in town, they... they wouldn't speak to me. They didn't want in any way to be linked to that bastard. Instead they chose to talk about me instead, making up whatever stories their little hearts fancied. After a while he started coming on to me, trying to get me to sleep with him. Things just became a little too unbearable. I was tired of living in fear because of him and his mistakes."  
Christian didn't say a word, just stared at her. Evelynn of course was shocked.  
"Oh honey! You poor thing. Well don't you worry about that here. We'll make sure you feel right at home, won't we Mr. Christian? You don't have to feel threatened with Mr. Christian around, he'll handle everything. Don't you worry. My, my, what a horrible thing for a young girl to have to go through, don't you think so-" "That's enough Evelynn." Christian barked. "What's his name?" Christian asked. "My stepfather? " "Yes." "Uh, Harry... Harry Franklin." she replied. Christian was silent for a few moments. "I'll take care of him." was all he said. "Wha-what?" "I'll take care of him." he said firmly. "Oh. That's, uh, no. No, that's okay. Um, I, I'm away from that life now, he'll suffer plenty now that I'm not there." she rambled. "I said i will take care of him and I will." he demanded. Kerstain began to worry. Sure she hated the man but she would never wish harm upon someone, no matter how wrong they were. "Um. Mr. Christian, sir, its okay, really. I'm already so grateful for your hospitality. I couldn't ask you for anything else. Please." she reasoned. "Did you ask me?" "Well, no." "Then don't worry about it." he replied. "But if something were to happen to him because of me, I would never be able to forgive myself. " A puzzled look formed on Christian's face. "Did he not cause you harm? Do you not want him to suffer as you have?" he questioned. "Well, yes, it's true he has hurt me plenty, directly and indirectly but I would never wish harm upon another human being. Regardless if the deserve it or not." she told him. Christian seemed to be contemplating her words before speaking again. "I am one of the men he owes." kerstain gasped. "You wouldn't...kill him... would you?" Christian let out a deep guttural laugh, throwing his head back. Evelynn chuckled alongside him, reaching over to pat Kerstain's hand. "Do you truly believe I am capable of taking someone's life?" he asked her, smiling widely. "Well, I don't really know. I don't know you. But you seem pretty capable of just ripping a man's head off with those massive arms of yours." Christian burst into laughter again. Evelynn joining in with him. "I'll take that as a compliment." he said. "Mr. Christian? How much, how much does he owe you?" kerstain asked. "That is none of your concern. It is a business matter that no longer concerns you. You were caught up in his mess long enough and that will never happen again. You needn't worry." "Well maybe I can help pay off his debt to you?" she asked. Christian's eyes widened. "Are you telling me after all the things this man has put you through, you are still willing to help him out? Even though you are running from him?" he asked in disbelief. "Well, I mean...my mother, she asked that I take care of him. She loved him for some reason or another and I suppose I still feel like I need to look after him. I don't know, I can't really explain it." she said. "You feel guilt. Did your mother pay his gambling debts as well?" he inquired. "Not exactly. I don't think she knew about it. He wasn't so bad then, i think she just thought he was irresponsible. But a few months after she passed it started getting bad. He started drinking constantly, day and night. He started getting violent and belligerent. I, I guess I really didn't keep my promise to her after all." At that point she broke down and started sobbing. She had tried her best to hold back the tears but after thinking of her mother had just opened up a can of emotions she hadn't dealt with in a long time. Evelynn immediately jumped up to embrace her. Christian however only seemd angry. He stood from his seat. "Unless you're going to get on your knees, there is no way you are paying of that man's debt." he barked and stormed out of the room. Kerstain looked up at Evelynn. "I may have neglected to mention he can be a bit crude at times. But he means well." she tried. "He means well?! He just suggested that I..." "I know dear but he doesn't mean that. He won't allow you to pay off your stepfather's debt and he won't budge on that. He is a gentleman, I promise. " "Well you could have fooled me." she replied. With that she stood to help clear the table with Evelynn following suit.


	6. Getting To Know You

After breakfast was cleared and everything cleaned up, Kerstain found she had some time to herself. She wondered around the house, trying to familiarize herself with the layout. She came across a rather small room that was filled floor to ceiling with books. 3 of the 4 walls contained shelves upon shelves of books. On the far wall stood a fireplace and a leather sofa facing it. She searched through what had to be hundreds of books, choosing one at random and making her way over to the couch. Of course there was no fire going, seeing as it was a hot summer day in August. But the room still had a nice cozy vibe to it and she curled up onto the couch, imaging it was a cold day in the mid of winter, the fire was roaring away and she had a nice warm cup of cocoa to sip. She cracked open the book, a bit of dust settling in her lap and she began to read. She must have dozed off at some point because the sound of her named being shouted and the door being flung open startled her awake. She looked over to the door with wide eyes.  
"What the hell are you doing in here?" came Christian's deep booming voice. She jumped to her feet, book still in hand.  
"I'm sorry. I, uh, I had a little time and I thought I could, uh, do a little reading. I must have fell asleep." she explained.  
Christian rose an eyebrow at that. His eyes flickered to the clock and back to Kerstain's. Her eyes following his before growing in realization. She gasped, she was supposed to meet Evelynn back in the kitchen nearly an hour ago. She flew over to the shelves to return her book while spouting apologies over and over to Christian. He continued to watch her, face expressionless. She started walking towards the door but slowed when she realized Christian was not about to move out of her way. She found herself face to face with him, she ducked her head as he spoke.  
"You need to be apologizing to Evelynn, not me. She's worried sick right now." he said.  
"Of course... She's worried?" She questioned, chancing to look up at him.  
"Yes. She believes you tried to run off... though you wouldn't survive even if you tried. All the men on this land are skilled hunters and they're not afraid to take down a trespasser on their land. I wouldn't try going anywhere if I were you, unless of course you enjoy removing bullets from your backside... if you're lucky." he smirked. Kerstain audibly swallowed.  
"I, I wasn't planning on going anywhere sir." she replied. She just couldn't get a read on this guy. Was he being serious? He certainly sounded serious but Evelynn swore he was a good man. Maybe he just had a really twisted sense of humor, or maybe he was just plain psycho. Who knew at this point.   
"Good." He said, stepping aside and allowing Kerstain to pass. She quickly slipped out of the room. Before she could stop herself however, she had one of her brain to mouth filters and mumbled out a "Don't you worry about my backside." as she passed him. She didn't stop to see his reaction, she was afraid to. She didn't catch the slight smile that graced his lips at her comment. She just took off towards the kitchen to get to Evelynn. She knew she screwed up by falling asleep. She had to get back into good graces if she wanted to make her stay here as pleasant as possible. She wondered how long she'd be stuck here anyway. Surely he wouldn't let her leave once the truck was fixed. That was a big repair and she knew a few days of work certainly wasn't enough to cover the damages. Though Christian was acting as if she were his prisoner. Did he ever plan to let her leave? He had no reason to keep her once her debt was paid. She had no real skills or anything of value to offer. She knew how to cook and clean, anybody could do that. However, she was afraid to ask him any of this. He seemed to be an okay guy when he wasn't being a moody prick. He was rough though, kept his emotions locked away. If she were to ask him, he'd more than likely give her the same cold attitude he's been giving her all damn day. For now she'd just have to bide her time until he warmed up to her. Though who knew how long that would actually take.  
A few weeks had passed with the same routine between Kerstain and Christian. He would be kind one moment and right back to his cold, intimidating demeanor the next. There a few incidents where she thought he would freak out on her when she messed things up but it turned out he was very understanding and was really sweet. But that very same day he would go right back into trying to control her. It got to the point where she was walking on eggshells, never knowing what type of mood he'd be in. It seemed he was extra moody when other people were around but when it was just the two of them, he was as sweet as could be. Why was this man so darn confusing?! She was completely frustrated. She had long ago admitted to herself that yes, indeed she was attracted to him. Who wouldn't be? But she couldn't exactly tell how he felt because he was constantly teetering back and forth. Some days it seemed like he was flirting but then he'd quickly catch himself and turn to stone again. At least, she thought, she was chipping away at that cold exterior and they were able to laugh with each other here and there. Of course she still hadn't gotten up the courage to ask him when he felt her debt would be paid. Every time she tried to slowly steer the conversation in that direction, he quickly reminded her that she was in his debt until he felt necessary. She didn't mind staying there so much anymore though, she knew she'd never have these kind of luxuries once she left, so she decided to take full advantage while she could.


	7. It Does Exist

One night during dinner, awkward silence seemed to fill the air. It was a bit odd considering Kerstain had found herself feeling more and more at home over her past several weeks there. She wasn't quite sure what to do about, so she stayed quiet, assuming whatever had caused the silence would make itself known soon enough. After Christian finished his meal, he finally spoke up.  
"Tomorrow I am going into the city. I'll need you to start preparations on the gala Evelynn so you will be accompanying me Kerstain." she looked up, wide eyed.  
"Me?"  
"Yes, Evelynn will give you a list of the items she requires and you will do the grocery shopping while I gather other supplies we will need." he told her.  
"Yes sir." she and Evelynn said in unison.  
Kerstain had wondered what gala he was even talking about. She had heard people mention it here and there while she had been in town but she didn't quite understand what was going on. Most people in town were super friendly and welcomed her with open arms but she didn't want to sound like an idiot by asking them about it while she lived under the same roof as the owner. She should probably know these things already but of course her relationship with Christian was still kind of hot or miss. He told her things he felt necessary for her to know but that was it. It was a very rare moment when he just volunteered information. She figured now was as best time as any to ask, she just prayed he wasn't in another one of his moods. His poker face wasn't on so she decided to go for it.  
"What are you having a gala for anyway?" she inquired.  
"Our people work very hard around here, there is no slacking around. That's why we hold a gala every year at this time. To show my appreciation to my people for all the hard work they do. Everyone comes out to enjoy the festivities, it's quite a site." he said, smiling.  
He seemed quite proud of his little town, he should be, of course. It ran quite smoothly, very productive and everyone was very nice. She did understand why everyone seemed to look up to Christian, while he was quite strict, he was also very kind to everyone. He seemed to be feared and yet loved by all. It was quite admirable.   
"It sounds wonderful." she said. Hoping he'd open up a bit more. She loved hearing him talk, his voice was music to her ears, she couldn't help it.  
"Oh you'll absolutely love it!" Evelynn said with excitement. "Everyone turns out. There's more food than you could ever imagine! The children play all sorts of games, there's dancing and laughter all through the night! It's fantastic!"  
Kerstain couldn't help but smile, she looked over to Christian who also wore a smile. She couldn't help but smile wider at that. He was breath taking when he was smiling. He really needed to do that more often.  
"I can't wait, it all sounds very exciting." Kerstain said cheerfully.  
"There is a lot of work to be done to prepare for such an event. You will be working non-stop over the next week, so make sure you get your rest tonight because you won't be getting much this week." he said, and just like that the spell was broken. His walls had gone right back up. God, this man was so frustrating.  
Kerstain found it difficult to sleep that night though. Physically she was exhausted but that stupid brain of hers would not shut up. Her thoughts remained on Christian. What was his deal? Why was he always so closed off? She should be grateful for all those little cracks she saw in his armor. That smile of his, his laughter, it was something special and she wanted to see more of that. She loved joking and laughing with him but those moments were so few and far between. Every time she closed her eyes she saw his face, that smile. Obviously he was very proud of his town. She had been told he built the town from the ground up and he had every right to be proud of that. It was a lovely town and she wouldn't mind calling it home, but that was a thought that was best kept at bay for a while. But it was the perfect little town, almost something out of a fairytale, and everyone seemed to love her as well. Only problem was, she was having one hell of a time cracking the Beast.  
Before she knew it, the sun was up, and there was a pounding on her door.  
"Let's go princess! We're burning daylight!" he yelled. She let out a groan. Great, just a few hours of sleep to her name and he's already cracking the whip.  
"Do I have time for a shower?" she yelled out to him  
"You have 20 minutes before I walk out the door, you decide." he said before she heard hit footfalls on the stairs. Crap! She jumped out of bed and darted for the shower. She was tempted to stay under the hot spray, even though it had been a few weeks, she still couldn't get over being able to take a hot shower. A luxury she never had in her old life. But she didn't want to suffer his wrath so she forced herself out. As she walked down the stairs she saw Christian standing by the door.  
"I'm sorry." she said as she walked up to him.  
"You're right on time." he said as he handed over one of the two travel mugs of coffee in his hands.  
"Oh. Thank you." she said, a bit shocked. He just hummed as he followed her out the door. She followed him over to a large black SUV. She had to practically jump up into the truck as it was much higher than her old pick up she was used to. Once they were buckled in he handed over a piece of paper to her.  
"Evelynn's list. Once we get into the city I'll drop you off at the supermarket. I need to run to the hardware store to gather some things. Call me once you finish up your shopping." His tone his usual stone demeanor. She was almost afraid to speak but she was more afraid of the consequences of not speaking.   
"I, uh, I don't have a cell phone." she said.  
"what?" he glanced over at her before putting his eyes back on the road.  
"I never had a need to for one. I didn't have any friends and I certainly didn't need a way for the creep to get a hold of me." she explained to him. He hummed once again before reaching over and pulling a phone from the glove box and handing it over to her.  
"Do you know how to work it?" he asked  
"Uh, no." She answered honestly. He let out a sigh.  
"Sorry." she felt like an idiot for not knowing how to use something as common as a cellphone.   
"It's ok. I'll show you once we get there."  
The silence dragged on after that. She slowly sipped her coffee.  
"How did you know how I like my coffee?" she asked, trying to fill the silence.   
"My job requires me to read people." he said plainly.  
"What?" she asked  
"You're easy to read... for the most part anyway." he said.  
"What do you mean? Is that bad?"  
"It can be. Let's just say you're lucky it was Jake and Timothy who found you that day and not anyone else. There's no way you would have survived if they hadn't come across you. You certainly didn't prepare for emergencies. So that leads me to believe that you improvise most of the time. You try to please everyone even though you always feel like you're not good enough. You lack confidence, you don't speak with confidence. That can definitely get you killed around here. You're a daydreamer, you believe in fairytales. That will only lead to a broken heart."  
"I don't believe in fairytales, I believe in true love. There's a difference." she defended.  
"Oh really? And what is the difference?" he gave her a quick eyebrow quirk before looking back to the road.  
"Well true love does exist. I believe everyone has a soulmate, that one person who they are made for. Who they're supposed to spend the rest of their days with. Sure it may not be perfect and happy all the time but they were made for each other and they find a way to make it work. They feel at home when they are with each other. They feel safe, secure in one another's arms. Their hands, their bodies, they fit perfectly together because they were made for each other. They simply can not live without one another, their love is that strong. They need their other half to feel complete." she rambled on. Christian let out a chuckle.  
"You really believe her crap?" he asked.  
"Yes, I believe that crap! It's real!" she defended, folding her arms across her chest. Christian shook his head as he laughed.  
"True love does not exist. It's just human nature to feel the need to spend time with someone you're attracted to, whether it be physical or emotional. But eventually it all ends. People are selfish. They want what they want and when the other person can't give them that, they're out the door. We convince ourselves that the other person truly loves us as we love them, but the going get's tough and they're gone. That's how you get a broken heart. No one wants to deal with pain, especially someone else's. Soulmates don't exist." he tried to reason.  
"That's not true! A soulmate feels the other's pain and they'll do whatever they can to make that pain go away. You can't walk away from your soulmate Christian, you CAN'T, it's not possible because you know you can't possibly live without them! You find a way to make things work because you love them and you'll always forgive them." she was getting upset. Christian just let out another chuckle.  
"And you've experienced this?" he questioned.  
"Well, no. But that's just because I haven't found my soulmate yet, I don't think. But that doesn't mean it's not true."  
"Well your theory sounds lovely but you've yet to experience it. So until you and your soulmate fall oh so deeply in love, it's still just a fairytale." he said cockily.  
"What's so wrong with fairytales anyway? Romance is not the enemy." she defended.  
"Well you just let me know when your white knight shows up." he said, smirking.  
"You'll see." she said, turning to look out the window. The silence stretched on after that. Kerstain let out a yawn.  
"You tired?" he asked.  
"Yeah. I tried but I just couldn't get any sleep last night." she confessed.  
"What's the matter? Was there a pea under your mattress princess?" he joked.  
"Ha ha." she said "But no, my stupid brain kept me up all night. I couldn't stop thinking."  
"About?" he urged her to continue.  
"Everything. About my old life, about my life now, about my future... about you." she mumbled the last part but she knew he heard. Why does her stupid mouth never listen to her brain? Now she would have to explain that one to him.  
"Me? What about me?" He glanced over at her questioningly.   
"Uh, yeah, I, well..." she stumbled about.  
"Come on, spit it out." he said. But she struggled to find the words to explain it to him without admitting her feelings to him.  
"Well... it's just..."  
"Kerstain." he said a bit impatiently. She sighed.  
"Fine. I just can't figure you out. I mean, you seem so closed off and cold but yet you've taken me in and are helping me out. Everyone I've spoken to truly admires you but if I'm honest, you scare me a bit. But when you smile... I'm just not sure how I should feel." she admitted while blushing. Christian began laughing again.  
"I'm not a bad guy but I wouldn't bother trying to figure me out. There's too many layers. I enjoy helping others out but I expect to be shown some respect and appreciation for what I do. If someone crosses me, however, there will be hell to pay. Make no mistake. I refuse to be taken advantage of. Simple as that."  
"So why were you so cold towards me?" she dared to ask.  
"Was I? he questioned her. Her eyes widened. Did he not even know?!  
"Uh, yeah, a bit."  
"Hmm, didn't realize it. I'll try to watch myself from now on." he smiled to her. She returned his smile.  
"Thank you." she said, just above a whisper.


End file.
